What Is a Kiss?
by Goku's Donut
Summary: Post-DB/Pre-DBZ - It was such an innocent question, but Chi-Chi laughed all the same, regardless of the tears soaking both her and her husband's face.
1. What?

The concept of affection wasn't completely lost on Son Goku, but that didn't make it any less confusing for him. He could remember many roundabout situations from his adventures with Yamcha and Bulma where he'd caught them mashed together like two couch pillows, looking as if they were trying to devour each others' faces.

It was usually Bulma that'd shoot him an annoyed frown, whispering some rude remark or another in an attempt to get rid of him, whereas Yamcha would usually flush the color of a tomato before proceeding to shoo him away.

There were never any situations in his childhood, from what he could recall, where he and his grampa would be like that with each other. The most affection he'd gotten out of the old coot was a ruffle of his hair, a hard slap on the back (after a job well done), or a knock on the head (usually after he'd made a mistake).

Sleeping with his grampa was something he'd always remembered doing, something Gohan didn't seem to mind. But when he'd tried sleeping with Bulma, she'd darn near thrown a tantrum, forcing him to sleep on the floor instead; however, now that he was with Chi-Chi, she didn't seem to mind sleeping with him at all. In fact, she seemed to welcome the idea wholeheartedly!

And yet, she got so mad at him the first time that she didn't speak to him for darn near an entire week, muttering something about taking his idea of sleeping with him 'out of context', whatever that meant. Again, the concept of affection wasn't completely lost on Goku, but that didn't mean it wasn't confusing for him. According to the way Chi-Chi, his wife of almost two months, phrased it, he seemed to be taking a _lot_ of things 'out of context'.

For instance, kissing.

Chi-Chi seemed to try and push him into kissing her nearly twenty times a day! After waking up in the morning, after taking a bath, after training, after eating, before going to bed - it was almost as if she wanted to kiss and hug and cling to him more than she wanted to train with him! And if she wasn't doing any of those things, she was cooking, cleaning, and yelling - _always with the yelling_. He didn't understand kissing no more than he understood hugging. From what he'd gathered from the strange technique, all it seemed to do was make him feel queasy and light-headed. Day in and day out, Goku tried to unravel that weird power and every time he thought about it, he found himself coming up short.

He could remember the very first time Chi-Chi kissed him. It was on the cheek, right after he'd agreed to marry her. The sensation of her lips on his face stung - but not in a bad way, he'd noted - but the concept was lost on him. She kissed him because she loved him - that was what she'd said, but he didn't understand it. Was that when he was suppose to kiss her - when he loved her? Would his lips make her face sting like lightning if he pressed them to her cheek like she did to him?

He remembered when he tried to kiss Krillin once, on the cheek, just like he saw Bulma do to Yamcha. That particular incident had ended so badly that Master Roshi had to separate them from each other. And even after everything had boiled down, Krillin ended up not talking to him for days, shuddering and rubbing his arms as if he were catching a virus before putting up his guard. He'd never done it since. Kissing just wasn't for everyone it seemed.

"Goku! Dinner's ready!"

Ah, but perhaps he could think about that another time.

"Comin' (1), Chi-Chi!"

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**Author's Notes:** Hey, everybody!

Here's a little something to make up for lost time that I started on about a week ago. I've had the idea for awhile, but just got around to writing it. This is only three chapters long, thus making it a three-shot. I have the second chapter posted on tumblr, but I won't be posting it until I've edited it and finished the third and final chapter. This chapter is written in Goku's point of view. He and Chi-Chi are two months into their marriage.

**Footnotes**:

(1) For those who don't know, Goku and Chi-Chi are country. They speak in a broken language, so their words will be shortened. The FUNimation Dub, which I'm sure everyone is acquainted with, doesn't really show this, but in the Japanese Subs and manga, their accents are very prominent. I'll try and keep it to a minimum, as I know (oh gosh, do I know) how aggravating it can be to read broken words in every sentence, lol.


	2. When?

She could remember there being a time in her life where she didn't have a care in the world. All she had to worry about was herself and her father. And the occasional rabid, starving, 45 ft dinosaur bent on tearing her limb-from-limb. That and what _always_ seemed to be a burning castle. Everything was pretty alright before some cherubic little monkey boy entered her life and turned her world upside-down.

Now, it seemed as if all her problems stemmed from _him,_ instead!

She'd be lying if she said that things were perfect. No, they were _so far_ from perfect. And yet, she wouldn't trade her position for anything in the world. She'd given up her title as 'Princess of Mount Fry Pan'. She had even poured her heart, mind, body, and soul into training - all for him. All for her husband; all for Son Goku.

Frustration was an emotion that coursed through Chi-Chi's veins every living, breathing, waking moment of her life. She'd get frustrated with not being able to start meals on time (though recently, it had begun to morph into her not _cooking the right amount _of food due to a certain someone's insane appetite). She'd get frustrated with having to clean up the same rooms more than once a day. She'd get frustrated over her halfhearted conversations with Goku that _didn't_ involve food and training. She'd get frustrated at his avoidance - or at least what she thought was avoidance - of affection.

It was an emotion she'd experienced more than five times a day. But now, a very small part of her started to resent him, as training seemed to be the only thing on his mind. And food - _always food_. If it wasn't Chi-Chi who initiated a conversation or put forth the effort to get a word or action out of him, nothing would ever progress - nothing would ever get done. And it was all so… so…_frustrating_!

Even now, as Chi-Chi stood over the burning stove, seasoning the fried rice and stirring the soup, she couldn't help but be frustrated! It wasn't that he cared almost exclusively about food and training - those were some of the things (even if they _did_ get annoying from time to time) that she loved about him after all. Despite all of that, all she wanted was affection, _attention_. Not so much praise - he'd more than done that whenever she went all out during dinner- but a sign that he loved her remotely as much as she did him.

No, all Chi-Chi wanted was a simple hug. Perhaps a gentle squeeze of her shoulders whenever he'd come inside from having not seen her all day. An affectionate pinch of her ear, maybe. A kiss… something Goku had _yet_ to initiate on his own. Two months into their marriage and Goku had yet to kiss her.

They'd kissed, plenty of times; she'd made sure of it. But it infuriated - no, it _frustrated __-_ Chi-Chi to know that he didn't think of her in _that_ way. She could never bring herself to tell him that, though sometimes she'd almost find herself doing so, especially when he'd turn his face away when she'd swoop in for his lips. And sometimes, when she did manage to kiss him, he didn't kiss her back.

How long was too long before he'd ever return the gesture?

She couldn't be so selfish. He'd already agreed to marry and live with her for the rest of their days. Pushing him for a kiss was far too demanding, right? With a sigh and a twist of the knob of the stove's heat, Chi-Chi plastered a warm smile on her face, cutting off all routes to her rotten emotions. She removed her apron before cupping a hand over her mouth, shouting, "Goku! Dinner's ready!"

She could always put that off for another time.

"Comin', Chi-Chi!" was the distant, cheerful reply.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Ha. I said I'd post this after I finished the third chapter - I didn't even start on it, hehe - but I wanted to go ahead and publish it. I don't want to keep you guys waiting.

This is in Chi-Chi's point of view. She certainly got more than she bargained for, what with Goku being painfully naive and everything. She may have, in the beginning (and even in small parts throughout their marriage after he discovered his heritage), grown to resent him, but I like to think that it never lasted. She could _never_ stay mad at him for long, it seems. I feel as if she was in love with the _idea_ of being married to Goku, but not Goku as a person. But in time, I think they both grew to love each other. It just took baby steps - lots and lots of baby steps. Five years is a long time to stay together, surrounded by _just_ each other and their child, and not have at least _some_ type of feeling for each other. At least, in my opinion.

Ah, I'm getting off track. Haha, the next chapter should tie it all together. It won't be in this format/writing style, so I hope you all look forward to it. :D A big thank you goes out to my beta - tobyaudax.


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